News

A Message from the National Cancer Institute
by Douglas R. Lowy, M.D., Acting Director, National Cancer Institute

I am honored to welcome you to the 28th annual National Cancer Survivors Day®. This day is a celebration of the estimated 14.8 million cancer survivors in the United States today, the researchers and healthcare providers who strive to lengthen and improve their lives, and the loved ones who care for them.

As acting director of the National Cancer Institute, I am proud to represent the many scientists and medical teams who work tirelessly to better the lives of cancer survivors. We continue to make strides against cancer. In fact, many survivors now live a full life after a cancer diagnosis.

Not long ago, cancer care focused only on survival. Now, as the number of survivors and their length of survival continue to grow – with an estimated 19.4 million cancer survivors in the United States expected by 2025, most of whom will have lived over 5 years since being diagnosed – we have a better understanding of the short- and long-term effects of cancer and its treatment. We recognize that our treatments must be coupled with care of the individual as a unique person, keeping in mind his or her resources, values, and preferences. Cancer care is not only about extending life, but also about improving the quality of life.

Today we thank the scientists and healthcare providers who work to bring effective therapies to everyone who might benefit from them, and who continue to ask the critical questions and to seek vital answers. But most importantly, we honor the millions of cancer survivors and their caregivers, who inspire us with their strength, their determination, and their courage.